- What is your current role? What was your first role when you started your career?
- At present, I am the Head of Digital for SME in Alliance Bank. I started my career as an Investment banker in Maybank Investment Bank
- Can you share one or two instances where you transitioned from one role to an unrelated or seemingly unrelated role?
- After many years in banking industry, I moved to do a startup funded by a Malaysian listed company. I was the founding CEO of MX Global - a licensed cryptocurrency in Malaysia
- Thinking about the transition to an unrelated role, can you share the following:
- What was your motivation for the transition - was it self driven or was it driven by circumstance
- it was self driven. I wanted to join the startup bandwagon and start something from scratch instead of the usual banking job.
- What helped you the most in making this transition? Was it your network's power, prior working relationship with the line manager, transferable skills, or luck?
- it was timing of the opportunity. My skills from consulting are definitely transferable as well as the need to be outcome oriented.
- Once you transitioned to your new role, which of your existing skill was / skills were most helpful
- The need to be outome oriented. Always understand what we can / cannot do within a short timeframe but always push ourselves further to our limits
- Did you have to develop a new skill or improve an existing skill in your new role? If yes, how did you go about developing/improving this skill?
- Yes. I significantly increased my network and partnership. Through that I managed to also learn how to fund raise in the startup scene.
- Did any training program help you either make the transition to the role or help you succeed once you transitioned to the new role
- No
- Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently or had better support when making these transitions?
- Never regretted my decision of moving out from industry and doing the startup. Everything happens for a reason. One thing I could have done differently was to perhaps have stayed longer before I sold off the startup.
- What advice do you have for people exploring career transitions within or outside their organization?
- Just do it. Especially if you have nothing to lose, and there is so much to gain.
